Petals Of Power

Growing up, I was definitely more of a tomboy (football crazy and anti all things pink until the ripe old age of 23) so I never really liked, no, I never really appreciated flowers. Don’t get me wrong, I’ve always thought that they were nice to look at – I just never really got that feeling – that feeling of overwhelming joy and content that I’d always heard so much about. True, I perhaps just didn’t understand it, I mean not everybody does. But over the years I’ve come to realise that in reality, I didn’t really give myself the chance to try and understand the power that those pretty little petals hold. I’m sure that you’ve gathered that this post is all about those petals of power.

I’ve been attempting to put my finger on the moment that everything changed – the moment that something inside me simply clicked. But no matter what I tried, I could not for the life of me pin it down. Was it the moment that I received my first bouquet? Or the moment when I saw the look on a loved ones face after surprising them with a beautiful bunch of their favourite blooms? No, no, as much as they may have contributed and have stuck in my mind – those moments of love and gratitude, neither were that moment.

So, what do you do when your mind has gone blank and you need a helping hand? Ask The Monk. (a bit like Ask Jeeves – just as temperamental but slightly more reliable) Yep, I turned to Joe and I have to admit that I went in with a completely pessimistic outlook of how this conversation was going to pan out. I turned to him and asked, “Why do I enjoy having flowers in my life?” He paused for a minute, possibly considering whether this was a trick question and said, “Well when we first moved in together, the place was pretty empty. We didn’t have a lot of stuff and it lacked personality and life for a while. But whenever we had flowers in, it felt a bit more homely, I guess. It literally bought the flat to life.” Mind. Blown. I mean this guy… He got it, he got it in one. Thatwas it.

It’s true, making a house feel like a home has become a pretty big thing for me ever since I left my parents home over five years ago. When Joe and I first moved in together last year, it definitely wasn’t all rainbows and butterflies. I mean, at times it was pretty tough (putting it politely), which is something that I discussed in my Perfect V Reality post – a little manual on the truth about living together. (my most popular and favourite post to date, which you can read here) For me, home is a place that reflects who we are and what we love. It’s a place that feels full of life, injects personality and oozes happiness. It’s a place that makes you feel calm, relaxed and above all, content.

I wanted to build a home that I was proud of – a home that made anyone who stepped through the threshold feel welcome. Thinking about it now, I really don’t think there is anything more welcoming than walking into a room and being greeted by the sight of a beautiful bouquet of fresh flowers. Joe and I both work hard (I mean don’t we all?). We work long hours and most nights we both just want to relax. During the autumn/winter months there is nothing that I love more than coming home, lighting the candles and snuggling on the sofa under the polar bear blanket with the boys and a hot chocolate, catching a glimpse of the fresh flowers that are setting pretty on the coffee table out of the corner of my eye. Bliss. I’ve also come to realise how satisfying fresh flowers can be – from arranging them just how you like them, to watching them flourish and transform right before your very eyes. There really is something strangely therapeutic about it.

Over the past year I’ve had my eyes opened to a whole new world of sending flowers -a world of letterbox flowers and hand-tied blooms, that are individually picked and lovingly put together for people like you and I to enjoy and delivered straight to your front door. (it can’t get any better than that surely?!)

Earlier this month I was lucky enough to be sent the simply stunning Purple Vintage Bouquet from Flowerworld UK, which are arranged for you and delivered in large (but very pretty box), ready for you to enjoy.

As soon as I opened the box I was lost in an array of pretty purples, wonderful whites and gorgeous greens and greeted with the familiar scent of eucalyptus. There’s something about eucalyptus and winter that means that they just go hand in hand together perfectly. Not just because it is known for helping to alleviate sore throats and stuffy noses (damn the curse of the never ending winter cold!) but there’s something so calming in it’s beautiful, yet simplistic presence. To create the Purple Vintage’s romantic hue, the eucalyptus is carefully chosen and teamed with Green bell, which symbolise luck and are loved for their unusual form. The white element of the bouquet is comprised of chrysanthemums, gorgeous lily-like alstroemeria and eustoma, which are often used to symbolise thoughtfulness and calm. But for me, the show stoppers are the beautiful purple/lilac rose memory lane roses – it’s no surprise that this bunch of beautiful blooms are designed to say so much so that you don’t have to!

So for just shy of three weeks the flat has been enveloped in a sense of calm and happiness, thanks to these beauties. It has felt full of life and added an extra layer of personality wherever I placed them. But I have to admit (and I imagine you can guess due to my serious lack of posting on here) that I’ve found November a bit tough, to the point that even the breathtaking blooms of dreams couldn’t snap me out of it. So many people have said to me recently that the change in the weather has made them feel sad, and to a point I can relate to this and agree. I’ve been considering this for a while, and have come to the conclusion that the weather isn’t to blame in this circumstance – I am. Yes, life is pretty much 100 miles an hour at the minute and I never really know whether I’m coming or going most of the time, but in the process of keeping my head above the water, I feel like I’ve let myself go. I know I’ve said something along these lines before, but this time I don’t just mean physically, I mean mentally too. I’ve got myself in a rut and lost sight of the belief and passion that I had worked so hard to achieve recently – that sense of positivity that I had grown to be proud of. That feeling of content. Instead I’ve been filled with self doubt and feeling anxious at the thought of putting myself out there – terrified of what people would think, of what they would say.

I know many will be questioning where I’m going with this – how I could possibly relate flowers, the weather and a persons mentality together, but stay with me. You see, it’s common knowledge that for a flower to bloom to its full potential, it needs time, attention, care and light. (And water too of course!) But darkness doesn’t stop them from having the ability to flourish – it’s whether they choose to work with what little light that they’ve got that is key. Cue light bulb moment. That was it, that was the moment that I finally understood it – I’d got it. I’d grasped the power of those pretty little petals. For a flower, there is never complete darkness. There are moments of light that can never be forgotten or taken for granted. There will always be days that are darker than others, but the same rules apply – time, attention, care and light. I’d let the darkness practically consume my life, inside and out, to the point I had forgotten all about the light. Darkness doesn’t have to effect the ability to continue to grow.

Time. Attention. Care. Light.

The essentials when adding petals of power to your own little world – to feel full of life, inject personality and ooze happiness.

One of my best friends and one of the greatest people you could ever meet has made me so proud recently, proud beyond words. ‘For a flower there is never complete darkness. There are moments of light that can never be forgotten or taken for granted.’ And for me, there will never be a more true example than her.

So there you have it – why I enjoy having flowers in my life.

Do you agree? Why do you love having flowers in your home? I’d love to know!

This post was collaboration with Flowerworld UK, but all of my thoughts are my own.